Israeli Windsurfers Dominate World Championships with Gold and Silver

Israeli female windsurfers achieved a historic triumph at the iQFOiL World Championships in Weymouth, UK, securing both the gold and silver medals. Tamar Steinberg, 20, claimed her first world title, while Sharon Kantor, the reigning 2024 world champion and Paris Olympic silver medalist, took second place. The bronze medal went to Italy's Medea Falchoni.

This marks a significant achievement for Israel, with two athletes from the same nation occupying the top two spots. The Israeli success extended further, with four women finishing in the top ten: Steinberg, Kantor, Shahar Tibi in seventh, and Daniela Peleg in fourth in the final series. Steinberg, also the current European champion, had a near-perfect performance, winning seven of the 16 qualifying races and leading for most of the competition.

"I'm so happy," Steinberg stated after her victory. "I wanted this for so long, and not everything you truly want happens. Wow." She added, "I led most of the week. I came to this competition with one goal and went for it from the start. But medal races are very tough, anything can happen."

Kantor's journey to silver was also notable, as she climbed from 16th place after the initial races to secure second. The final race between Steinberg and Kantor was described as an "Israeli derby" for the world title. "I felt Kantor throughout the whole race," Steinberg recounted. "She had a better start, and we battled until the very finish. I'm so happy for her, she's my teammate. We have such a strong team."

In the men's competition, Paris Olympians Tom Reuveni and Yoav Omer also reached the medal series. Reuveni finished fifth overall after a race disqualification, and Omer, who had led the men's standings earlier, finished eighth. In total, six Israeli athletes, four women and two men, placed in the top ten at the championships, which featured 186 competitors from 42 countries and took place from September 3-12.